The Sprachbar audio file recordings are impeccably and perfectly pronounced and exquisitely ennuciated. Listen to them when nothing else is happening (even if you can only pick out one of ten words).
They are lyrical, entrancing, seductively beautiful, and free, from Deutsch Welle. Try not to get lulled to sleep and fall off your barstool.
Aber, was ist ein Sprachbar? Und, wie kann ich das Geschlecht dieses Wortes bestimmen?
Here’s instruction on methods for typing German characters, like ö (o umlaut):
http://faculty.mansfield.edu/bholtman/holtman/acchars.htm#pc
That was pretty easy, so don’t let it intimidate you.
Wow! The fidelity is great!
Free podcasts of “Deutsch – warum nicht” I downloaded in September, 2009 from iTunes (one way of getting the audio portion of the series) were 2MB per lesson in file size. But, I found higher fidelity files today– each are 6 MB. THREE TIMES THE QUALITY! It’s the same quality on the web site when listening to or downloading individual audio files.
This is like clean windows. The other files had a slightly muddy quality, so I had visions of the original recordings being made on tape in the 1960s. One of the text books lists a 1966 copyright date. But that didn’t make sense, either, because the audio series eventually covers the fall of the Berlin Wall and die Wende.
This isn’t just geeky perfectionism; the difference it very noticable. Get yours today.
Thank you Deutsche Welle!
Second lesson: 15 minutes on noun vocabulary. Lots of pictures.
Keyboard shortcuts would be better than mouse clicks when going through the interactive lessons. Instruction poster encourages exploring the nine discs at one’s own pace and in the order most effective for oneself.
On your screen, the loaded cd/software is branded with the name euroTalk.com.
There is a triple s in the word die Essstäbchen. Nouns are capitalized. Perhaps the word is the same as Eßstäbchen.
The software provides die as the proper article, but Babylon notes das. Vocabulix.com returns das. Leo provides an explanation: Plural and singular forms of the word are identical, but use different articles.
Ess ≈ essen (food (also: to eat))? + Stäbchen = Food small rod?
Free audio downloaded to iPod.
Amazon and ebay were the sources to buy the four accompanying text books. They are barely used. They are either old inventory, or someone had the best of intentions and did not use them. The books are available as .pdfs on the web site for free, but the low tech solution with the real books is just more convenient.
(This was a gift. Thank you!)
Lesson 1 took about 20 minutes.
Enter your name and the software keeps track of your game scores.
There is interactivity with voice recording so you can compare your voice to that on the software. Turn on microphone in Windows.